Method and means in looms for holding the weft end of a bobbin to be introduced into the shuttle



J1me 1959 K G E c NLlussoN ET AL 2,892,470

OMS F HOLDING T METHOD AND'MEANS' IN HE WEFT END OF A BOBBIN TO BEINTROD D INTO THE SHUTTLE Filed Dec. 4,- 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1959K. G. E. CORNELIUSSON ET AL 2,392,470

METHOD AND MEANS IN LOOMS FOR HOLDING THE WEFT END OF A BOBBIN TO BEINTRODUCED INTO THE SHUTTLE Filed Dec. 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J1me 9K. c. E; CORNELIUISSON ET AL 2,892,470

METHOD AND MEANS IN LOOMS FOR HOLDING THE WEFT END OF A BOBBIN TO BEINTRODUCED INTO THE SHUTTLE Filed Dec. 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.4

62 59 5s s6 61 so 51 Y 37 w 39 57 3s 49 42 2s 17 A E 15 Fig.5

June 1959 K. G. E. CORNELIUSSON ET AL 2,892,470

METHOD AND MEANS IN LOOMSFOR HOLDING THE WEFT END OF A BOBBIN TO BEINTRODUCED INTO THE SHUTTLE 1 Filed Dec. 4, 1956 V 4 Sheets-Shet 4United States Patent METHOD AND MEANS IN LOOMS FOR HOLDING THE WEFT ENDOF A BOBBIN TO BE INTRO- DUCED INTO TI-m SHUTTLE Karl Gustav ErikCorneliusson, Vavaren, Viskafors, Lennart Rune Damm, Solliden,Viskafors, Nils Daniel Landqvist, Ryobacken, Rydboholm, Bengt GunnarLinnarson, Hogsater, Viskafors, and Nils Gustaf Svansson, Vildmarken,Viskafors, Sweden, assignors to Rydboholms Aktiebolag, Rydboholm,Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application December 4, 1956, Serial No.626,145

Claims priority, application Sweden May 28, 1956 11 Claims. (Cl.139-257) The invention relates to improvements in a method and means inlooms for holding the weft end of a bobbin to be introduced into theshuttle.

In weft-replenishing looms the reserve bobbins are placed in magazinesor hoppers from which one bobbin at a time is automatically advancedinto a transfer position where it is introduced into the shuttle toreplace the emptied bobbin. The first time the shuttle with the freshbobbin is picked, the weft end must be held in a stationary supportoutside the selvage of the fabric. For that purpose the weft ends of thebobbins are generally fixed to the bobbin magazine. For instance, themost usual magazine in looms for a one-color or single color Weftcomprises a drum adapted to receive and hold 24 bobbins around itsperiphery, and the weft ends of these bobbins are knotted centrally toone end wall of the drum manually. Thus, the initial mounting of thebobbins in the magazine involves a considerable amount of work that isfurther increased because for practical reasons magazines with manuallyknotted Weft ends can only contain a rather limited number of bobbins,so that they have to be refilled often.

An object of the invention is to provide a method that makes it possibleto automatically catch and hold the weft end of a bobbin to beintroduced into the shuttle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method by which thesurface of a bobbin to be introduced into the shuttle is subjected to aflow of air acting to whirl up or lift the weft end and to introduce itinto a mechanism where it is caught and held automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method -of catching theweft end of a bobbin located in transfer position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method by which the weftend of a bobbin to be introduced into the shuttle is lifted or whirledup by supplying a flow of 'air to the surface of the bobbin, whereuponsaid weft end is sucked into the gripping mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing dimensioned toreceive at least a portion of a bobbin. The casing is combined withmeans for directing a flow of air thro'ughit and has also means forcatching and holding the weft endof a bobbin introduced into it by arelative motion between the casing and the bobbin.

, The flow of air used to whirl up the weft end may be suction; such amethod is highly effective and reliable under all circumstances. It isalso preferable to catch the weft end of the bobbingin transferposition, whereby it is possible to have all the bobbins loosely storedin 2,892,470 Patented June 30, 1959 out inconvenience be dimensioned toreceive for instance 10 times as many bobbins as the magazinespreviously used, whereby the refilling work will be highly simplified.However, it is also possible to catch and hold the weft end of a bobbinlocated at a given place within the magazine, preferably near itsoutlet.-

The invention will be described more indetail with reference to-theaccompanying drawings which showan embodiment applied to a loom of theconventional type.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section of, a bobbinmagazine and a transfer mechanism, as seen in a vertical planeperpendicular to the path of the shuttle.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the mechanism in Figure 1 but showingcertain members of the transfer mechanism in a different operativeposition.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the deviceof Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are details showing the thread catching device in twodifferent positions, as seen from the right in Figure 1.

Figures 6-8 are detailed views on an enlarged scale of the threadcatching sleeve in three different positions.

Referring to Fig. l, the bobbin magazine consists of a box-likestructure 11 secured to the frame 10 of the loom and containing a numberof shelves 12 arranged one above the other. The shelves are mountedslanting slightly towards a substantially vertical passage 13 providedalong one end wall of the box, said passage being only a little widerthan the greatest diameter of the full bobbins. An outlet chute 14extends from the bottom of the box to form a continuation of the passage13 and the bobbins are advanced through the chute in a single row piledon top of each other. The lower part of the chute, as seen in crosssection, is bent at an angle of about 45 to the horizontal plane. Thelowermost bobbin lying immediately beside the lower, open end of thechute is retained in a known way by means of flat springs, not shown,which engage the ends of the bobbin from two opposite sides.

From the magazine one bobbin at a time is to be ad vanced into transferposition, i.e. the position from which the bobbin can be depressed intothe shuttle, when it is necessary to shift bobbins. For this purpose acarriage 15 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) is slidable in a horizontal guide 16provided on the frame 10 below the magazine. The carriage 15 is fixed tothe piston rod 17 of a compressed-air cylinder 18 thereby to be moved toa transfer position,

in which it is located under a transfer arm 27 (Figs. 1 and 2) describedhereinafter, from a position immediately below the outlet end of thechute 14. Normally the carriage contains a bobbin and is located in thetransfer position. When a transfer operation has taken place thecarriage is temporarily moved tov the opposite end position forreceiving a fresh bobbin. A rod 20 projecting from the carriage isadapted to hit one end of a bell crank 21, when the carriage approachesits position under the outlet end of the chute 14 whereby the bell crank21 is turned counter-clockwise (Figs. 1 and 2) around a shaft 23 againstthe action of a spring 22. The other end of the bell crank carries ahammer 24 normally located over the lowermost bobbin in the magazine.When the bell crank is swung this hammer 24 is moved downwards throughan opening provided in the chute for this purpose, and the lowermostbobbin is thus delivered into the carriage where its butt end is caughtbetween a pair of springs 25 (Figs. 4 and 5). The carriage is thenimmediately returned to transfer position and the hammer 24 returns toits raised position, so that the remaining bobbins in the magazine arefree to slide down one step.

When a transfer has to-take place the bobbin in transfer positionisdelivered intothe shuttle by means of the transfer arm-27 mentionedabove. Asthis arm and the pertaining mechanism are of a knownconstruction, they will need no detailed description. The transfer arm27 isrotatably journalled on a shaft 26 and normally held in its raisedposition by-means of a spring, not shown. Said raised position is shownbyfull lines in Figs. 1 and 2 'A latch 29 is pivoted at 28 to adepending part of the transfer arm and has a notch at its free end whichis normally'directedin a downwardly direction. During the reciprocatingmovement ofthe shuttle the bobbin passes under a weft detector which,when the bobbin has been emptied, iniparts an impulse to a mechanismcausing the latch :29 to swing upwardly. In this position, which isshown-by dotted-lines in Fig-1, the end of the latch 29 is hit by ahunter 30 provided for this purpose on the reciproeating lay 31, wherebythe transfer arm 27 is caused to swing-n a clockwise direction to engagethe bobbin by means of ahead 19. The bobbin is thus do livererlintotheshuttle which is nowlocated ina holder 32 mounted upon thelay31. Theempty bobbin is simultaneously ejected by the fresh bobbin entering theshuttle. After the transfer operation the latch 29 returns to itsdepending'position andthe normal operation of the loom continues. i i 4Quring its movement into operative position the trans fer .ariii27actuates a micro switch 33 which starts an eleclt'ric inotor', notshown. This motor drives a timing ambassador shown, which synchronizesthe movetso'i the various mechanisms. The first function ofLthe-t'imeris to adjust, with some delay, a valve-controlling'the supplyofeompressed air to, the cylinder 18. Ac- :cordingly compressed air issupplied through a conduit 34toth e left end of the cylinder, so thatthe piston rod 17 moves in a direction inwardly of the cylinder. Thecarriage 15 is thus .moved to its right end position to re- ;ceivethelowermost bobbin of the magazine, as previously described. The carriageis thenirnmediately returned to the transfer position in that the timeragain adjusts the eontrol valve so that compressed .air is supplied tothe right end of the cylinder 18 through a conduit 35.

i "A rather long compressed-air cylinder 3 6 which is parallel to theadvanced bobbins, has one end mounted in a fixed frame portion 37 (Figs.3, 4, 5). The piston ,rod 38 of the cylinder is, by means of a crosslink 39, connected to a parallel rod 40 slidably journalled in theframeportion 37. The opposite end of the rod 40 carries a bracket 42which depends vertically. A sleeve 43, which will be described in detailbelow, is mounted in axial alignment with the bobbin 44 located intransfer position. The sleeve is connected with a rather thick tube 45directed radially to the sleeve and carried in horizontal position bythe bracket 42.

The sleeve 43 is shown in longitudinal section in Figs. Internally ithas a central section-with adiameter .only slightly larger than thelargest diameter of the filled :bobbin. From this central section thesleeve widens out- 491's connected to a source of compressed air bymeans ofa flexible hose 5 and communicates by .Way of a valve T1 .d escribed :b elo\v with an annular channel 52 in the sleeve. portionturnedtowards the Anurnber lofloutle't channels 53 connect the channel52 with the interior of han er The channels 53 are equally P 3.54 fou -tt e .im ph y a d d r t ob iq e y I ards tothe central sleeve portion.

A .sli ghtly tapered plug 54 shaped and dimensioned to fitsniq lyintheendo he sleev opposite from the bobmovement of the sleeve.

4. bin 44 is mounted in axial alignment with the sleeve. The rear end ofthe plug is fixed to a bracket 55 depend ing from and firmly connectedto one end of a rod 56 which is parallel to the rod 40. The rod 56,which has preferably a square cross section to be secured againstrotation, is slidably journalled in two supports 41 and 57 mounted tothe exterior of the cylinder 36. Next to the bracket 55 the rod 56 hasa-section 58 of a larger-cross section, whereby its displacement to theright in Figs. 3-5 is limited by the support 57. Further constructionaldetails are best described in connection withthe operation of thedevice.

In the initial position the piston rod 38 is fully retracted in thecylinder 36, as shown in Fig. 3, and the sleeve is thus'in'its normalend position, the plug 54 being wedged into it. At some suitable momentafter a transfer operationand when afresh bobbin has been-advancedintotransfer position, the abovementioned timing mechanism causes theopening of a valve supplying compressed air through the conduit 59 tothe rearend of the cylinder 36. The piston rod 38 and the rod 40connected therewith as well as the sleeve 43 now move outwards orupwards in Fig. 3. At the beginning also the plug 54 is brought alongowing to its engagement with thesleeve. The plug is stopped in theposition shown in Fig. 4 in that the abutment 58 on the rod 56 engagesthe support 57, and the empty sleeve continues its movement towards thebobbin 44 located in transfer position.

When the sleeve advances over the bobbin,-the valve 51 must be adjustedto allow compressed air to be-supplied through the channels 53 openinginto the sleeve. The valve 51, which is mounted at the upper end of thebracket 42, has a valve member 60 opening when depressed against theaction of a spring. The projectng end of said valve member 60 carries aroller which follows a cam surface at the underside of .a horizontalcamming member 61 which is mounted on the supports'5'7, 41. Thearrangement is such that the valve member 60 is depressed to open thevalve 51 as soon as the fore end of the sleeve 43 advances over the tipof the bobbin, whereupon the valve 51 is kept open as long as anyportion of the sleeve surrounds the bobbin. Fig. 6 shows the sleeve, asit approaches its right end position.

The cylinder 36 has such a length that the piston rod 38 pushes thesleeve 43 almost to the butt end of the bobbin 44. In this position amovable part, for instance the connection link 39, may be arranged toengage an impulse valve causing venting of the conduit 59 at thesametime as compressed air is instead supplied through aconduit 62 tothe opposite or foremost end of the cylinder 36 whereby the piston rod38 and consequently also the sleeve 43 are returned to their initialpositions. In the operative end position of the sleeve, however, theconnection link 39 or some other movable part may also actuate animpulse valve connecting the conduit .45, 46 with the source of vacuum,so that an effective suction power is obtained in the annular slot 48during the return During the forward movement of the sleeve the flow ofcompressed air directed obliquely inwards causes the weft end locatedsomewhere on the surface of the bobbin to be whirled up and when now asuction is generated in the annular slot 48 during the return movementof the sleeve, the weft end is sucked in through said slot into theannular channel 47, as shown in Fig. 7.

A continued movement of the sleeve to the left causes thespring-actuated valve member 60 to be released by the cam surface of themember 61 so that the supply of compressed air through the conduit 49 isinterrupted, at the same time as the fore end of the sleeve passes overthe tip of the bobbin. In the meantime the rear end of the sleeve hasbegun to pass over the plug 54 and when soon thereafter the plug engagesthe inside of the sleeve under wedgea ion t e ft end w s mu taneou y e dmped in the-slot 48, as apparent from Fig. 8. The sleeve is' now in theposition in which it was separated from the plug during the first partof the forward motion. During the rest of the return movement to theinitial position the plug is brought along and thereby wedged still moreeffectively.

The valve in the suction conduit can be closed as soon as the weft endhas been caught by the plug, and this may be made at a desired momenteither by means of the timing mechanism or because some of the movableparts actuates an impulse member provided for this purpose.

The bobbin 44 to be transferred has now its weft end anchored and isthus, ready for the next transfer operation. The thread catching deviceholds the weft end stationary during the transfer and at least the nextstroke of the shuttle, preferably during several strokes, i.e. until acommon cutting device cuts the weft end outside the selvage. Thereafterthe sleeve is not put into operation until the next bobbin is intransfer position.

In the above specification no detailed description has been made of thetiming mechanism, the various valves and their connections, as suchdevices nowadays are well known to a person skilled in the art.Moreover, these means may be varied in a plurality of manners whileobtaining the same result or the same sequence of the various operativesteps.

As mentioned above, it may also be possible within the scope of theinvention to obtain the desired result by connecting the sleeve to thecompressed-air conduit only or to the vacuum conduit only. Of course,the effect also to a certain extent depends on the air-pressure orsuction pressure used. However, the embodiment described has proved tobe the most advantageous one.

What we claim is:

1. A device for holding the loose end of the weft yarn of a filledbobbin to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom, comprising a sleevehaving an inner diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of a filledbobbin and arranged in axial alignment with the bobbin located intransfer position, means for moving the sleeve in axial direction to aposition at least partly enclosing the bobbin, means for directing aflow of air along the surface of the enclosed bobbin, whereby the looseend of the weft yarn is whirled up, means for catching the loose endwithin the sleeve and means for retracting the sleeve holding the weftyarn loose end from the enclosed bobbin.

2. A device for holding the loose end of the weft yarn of a filledbobbin to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom, comprising a sleevehaving an inner diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of a filledbobbin and arranged in axial alignment with the bobbin located intransfer position, means for moving the sleeve in axial direction to aposition at least partly enclosing the bobbin, means for directing afiow of air along the surface of the enclosed bobbin, whereby the looseend of the weft yarn is whirled up, means for retracting the sleeve fromthe enclosed bobbin, and a member adapted to be introduced in the sleeveend remote from the bobbin to clamp the loose weft yarn end against theinner wall of the sleeve.

3. A device for holding the loose end of the weft yarn of a filledbobbin to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom, comprising a sleevehaving an inner diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of a filledbobbin and arranged in axial alignment with the bobbin located intransfer position, means for moving the sleeve in axial direction to aposition at least partly enclosing the bobbin, at least one nozzle forsupply of compressed air mounted at the sleeve end facing the bobbin anddirected to the interior of the sleeve, at least one nozzle connected toa source of vacuum and located at the inner wall of the sleeve, meansfor retracting the sleeve from the enclosed bobbin, and means forclamping the loose end of the weft yarn in the suction nozzle.

4. A device for holding the loose end of the weft yarn of a filledbobbin to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom, comprising a sleevehaving an inner diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of afilledbobbin and arranged in axial alignment with the bobbin located intransfer position, means for moving the sleeve in axial direction to aposition at least partly enclosing the bobbin, at least one nozzle forsupply of compressed air mounted at the sleeve end facing the bobbin anddirected to the interior of the sleeve, a peripheral slot in the innerwall of the sleeve, a channel in the sleeve connecting said slot with asource of vacuum, means for retracting the sleeve from the enclosedbobbin, and a plug adapted to be introduced through the sleeve endremote from the bobbin to clamp the loose end of the weft yarn in theslot.

5. A device for holding the loose end of the weft yarn of a filledbobbin to=be introduced into the shuttle of a loom, comprising a sleevearranged in axial alignment with the bobbin located in transferposition, said sleeve being tapered inwardly from both ends onto acentral section having a diameter only slightly larger than a. filledbobbin, means for moving the sleeve in axial direction to a position atleast partly enclosing the bobbin, at least one suction nozzle in saidcentral section of the sleeve, means for retracting the sleeve from theenclosed bobbin, and a tapered plug dimensioned to fit snugly in thesleeve end remote from the bobbin and adapted to be introduced throughsaid sleeve and to clamp the loose end of the weft yarn in the suctionnozzle.

6. A device according to claim 5, in which at least one nozzle forsupply of compressed gas is mounted at the sleeve end facing the bobbinand directed to the interior of the sleeve.

7. A method for catching and holding the loose end of the yarn of afilled bobbin supported at one end and adapted to be introduced into theshuttle of a loom comprising the steps of enclosing circumferentially,in a given sequence, individual successively adjacent portions of thebobbin, during the enclosing of each successive portion subjecting thecircumferential surface of each of the sections to a flow of airdirected to flow axially of the bobbin and in a direction toward thefree end of the bobbin thereby to seek out and release the loose end ofthe yarn on the filled bobbin and whirl it clear of the bobbin surface,catching the released loose end, anchoring it and holding it stationaryduring the transfer operation and at least the next successive stroke ofthe shuttle.

8. A method for catching and holding the loose end of the weft yarn of afilled bobbin adapted to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom andsupported at one end, comprising subjecting the surface of the bobbin toa flow of air directed to flow substantially axially along the bobbin inthe direction of its free end and distributed substantially around thecircumference of the bobbin thereby to whirl up the weft yarn loose endand feed it to catching means, anchoring said loose end in the catchingmeans and holding it stationary during the transfer operation and atleast the next stroke of the shuttle.

9. A method for catching and holding the loose end of the weft yarn of afilled bobbin adapted to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom andsupported at one end, comprising first subjecting the surface of thebobbin to a flow of compressed air directed to flow substantiallyaxially along the bobbin toward its free end and distributedsubstantially around the circumference of the bobbin thereby to releasethe Weft yarn loose end and whirl it up, advancing the released looseend onto catching means by the application of suction thereto, andanchoring said loose end and holding'it stationary during the transferoperation and at least the next stroke of the shuttle.

10. A device for catching and holding the loose end of the weft yarn ofa filled bobbin adapted to be introduced into the shuttle of a loom andsupported at one end, comprising a casing dimensioned to receive atleast a portion of the bobbin, means for moving the casing froman'iiniti'al p'ositioninto a position at least partly enclosingthebobbin, means defining at least one nozzle within the casing disposedto direct a flow of air along the surface of the bobbin toward its freeend, thereby to whirl up the weft yarn loose end,- a member movable in-:relation to the casing and cooperating therewith to clamp the'loose endwhen released clear of the bobbin and means for returning the casing toits initial position holding the loose end of the weft yarnfrom' thebobbin.

11-. A device for catching and holding the loose end of the weft yarn ofa filled bobbin adapted to be introduced into the shuttle of aloom' andsupported atone end, comprisinga casing dimensioned to receive at leasta portion of the bobbin, means for moving the casing from aninitial'position into a position enclosing circumferentially at least aportionof the bobbin, means 10 yarn from the enclosed bobbin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SmithApr. '20, 1937

